8.11.17

CAN Demands Nigeria's Withdrawal from OIC, Others

Christian leaders in the country on Tuesday called on the National
Assembly to prevail on the Federal Government to withdraw from the
Organisation of Islamic Conference and other international religious
bodies.

They made the call at a gathering of prominent Christian leaders in
the country at the Shepherdhill Baptist Church, Obanikoro, Lagos where
they discussed the challenges facing the Church in the country.

Those in attendance at the meeting called by the President of the
Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, included the
General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch
Adeboye; the Presiding Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop
David Oyedepo; the General Overseer, The Redeemed Evangelical Mission,
Archbishop Mike Okonkwo; and former CAN President, Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor.

The media aide to the CAN president, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, said
in a statement in Abuja that the forum condemned the government’s
decision to lead Nigeria into the Islamic Coalition Against Terrorism
through an executive fiat.

CAN also called on the National Assembly to prevail on states in
the North to issue Certificates of Occupancy to churches in the region.

It said, “CAN calls on the National Assembly to compile the
list of all organisations that Nigeria belongs to and all the treaties
signed with a view to dropping all the religious ones.

“That we declare the inability of the state governments to pay
workers’ salaries and allowances as and when due as unacceptable and
call on the federal and state’s governments to work together to address
this.”

The group also admonished the Federal Government to address the breakdown of infrastructure in the nation “so as to stop the untimely death of our people and medical tourism abroad.”

CAN advised the government to declare a state of emergency on
unemployment in the nation and to set up a machinery towards the
provision of employment for graduates.

It condemned the failure of the security agencies to stop the
murderous Fulani herdsmen from their criminal activities and demanded
the revival of the Nigerian Inter-religious Council, which it said, had
fostered interaction between Christian and Muslim leaders in the
country.